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To the north in Guatemala are found the departments of Alta and Baja Verapaz. The mountainous terrain is part of the oldest range in Guatemala and contains a variety of climates and life zones. King Charles V of Spain accepted the name verapaz as the official name of this region. German immigrants, who settled here at the end of the 19th century, established flourishing coffee plantations. Natural beauty in the Verapaces includes lovely sites such as Semuc Champey and the Cahabòn River, popular with rafters, along with the Biotopo del Quetzal, where Guatemala`s national bird may be seen.
The Verapaces region of northern Guatemala is a land of outstanding natural beauty, with mountainous cloud forests, orchids, waterfalls, lakes and caves. The region was brought under Spanish rule by Father Bartolomè de las Casas, a 16thcentury priest who believed that Spain should consolidate its conquest by peaceful means. In honor of his achievement, the region was named Verapaz, or “true peace.” Two of Guatemala`s national symbols, the Monja Blanca orchid and the Resplendent Quetzal, are native to this area. |
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